Feels Right Now
by Lucky Charmz
Summary: As he speeds off down the road you realize that everything feels right now.  Set in the Chiltonverse.  Alternate ending to LDAT. AU Trory.


**Title**: Feels Right Now

**Rating**: T— language, the usual.

**Summary**: As he speeds off down the road you realize that everything feels right now. Set in the Chilton-verse. Alternate ending to LDAT. AU Trory.

**Disclaimer**: Let me see... nope, still don't own Gilmore Girls.

**A/N**: Yet another to tide you over. The writing is progressing for my others (very slowly) so just hold tight, it'll be out soon—promise!

_This time all I want is you  
__There is no one else who can take your place  
__--Lifehouse, 'Take Me Away'_

_Kiss_**hate**_loveidiot_**hate**_loveidiot_**hatehatehatehate**.

You said you hated him. And you told Dean you loved him. And you're kissing Dean right now, blissfully unaware of your surroundings. Because everything is officially perfect in your world. And you couldn't be any happier.

Except he's putting your books down. He's nodding, as if accepting the fact that he will never win. He's straightening his tie and he's buttoning his blazer. And he's walking way. And Dean's tugging too tightly on your hair. And his truck seems too green now (not that it matters because material things never really mattered to you). And all you really want to be doing is taking a ticket from Tristin and smiling innocently as the two of you speed off to PJ Harvey.

But you're not, and he's nowhere to be seen. You notice this when Dean goes to pick up your books. And now you're thinking that maybe Dean's a little too tall. And his leather jacket should just be a regular coat and his eyes are too brown and… and you stop yourself because he's Dean and he's the one you chose.

You can't take back the words you said to him (you also make a mental note that the reason for your break up was your hesitancy to tell him you loved him). Is he only here now because you said those words? Does he still hold it against you because you didn't say the fucking words in the first place? The questions plague your mind and suddenly you realize that you've made the wrong decision.

Because he put your books down and he accepted the fact that he will never win and because he straightened his tie and buttoned his blazer and walked away and…

You smile to yourself and curse yourself at the same time because Dean is smiling at you. And you stop him before he tries to kiss you again.

"Dean." His name rolls off your tongue so… normally. You feel no spark or any sort of magical phenomena when you say his name. You feel as though it's something you've been doing for years (though, you note, you've been saying it for only months).

And when he looks at you, he knows that whatever it was that happened – word vomit, you tell him – is over. And the rich trust fund accountant (his words, not yours) has won your heart. You tell him you couldn't help it. You tell him about the night after he broke up with you and how the kiss made you feel so alive and yet so horrible. He tells you he doesn't deserve it. You tell him that you're sorry and you hope that you can be friends at some point.

He says nothing in response. He offers you a ride home (which you decline) and leaves. You see Paris with Madeline and Louise and she raises an eyebrow in question. And though you hate to lose her as a friend you tell her she was right and you really do like Tristin and she can like it or lump it because you don't give a damn anymore. She shrugs in response and tells you that she'll see you in the fall (you purposefully fail to mention that you'll be in summer school, as you imagine she'll be as well).

You walk away from her and hold your books close to your chest as you go to the bus stop. You're not sure why but you feel like you should go home and then contemplate how to get him. He went through thoughtful planning for you, so you should do the same.

While you are sitting on the bus you see his car. It's speeding (not that you would have guessed any differently) parallel to the bus. You think maybe you're imagining things and he's really not coming to your town.

You realize when he takes the same exit as the bus that you're not imagining things. And you watch him carefully as you step off the bus and carefully try to plan your escape.

"Rory." When he says your name you shiver a little. Because his voice is so… magical (you really can't think of a better word for it) when he's not taunting you or calling you Mary (you'll never admit that you really do like it when he calls you Mary, though).

You stop at the sound of his voice and slowly turn around. Because this could be a dream and you could be seeing things and people might think you're crazy if you start talking to someone who isn't really there. He walks over to you and you subtly pinch yourself and realize that it isn't really a dream.

"I forgot to give you this." It's a copy of Atlas Shrugged and you're so thankful he brought it because if he hadn't you wouldn't have gotten it back until August because he wouldn't take summer school and…

You stop your thoughts again, close your eyes tight and open them quickly. He's walking away and you realize that it's your last chance to let him know how you feel.

So you walk quickly (you'll never be caught dead running) over to him and grab his blazer sleeve and when he turns around you gasp. Because his eyes are so fucking blue you think you'll faint and because the way he smells makes you want him to just take you right there (you admit that he's the only guy who's made you feel this way) and because this is your moment and you won't let it slip away.

"Don't go." They are the only two words you can think of to make him stay. You do, in fact, realize that saying the word 'stay' would work as well, but there is no time for technicalities. You grab the back of his neck and kiss him fiercely. Because you think that maybe this time actions will speak louder than words.

And suddenly he's tugging on your hair just the right way and he's the perfect height and his hand on your hip is so warm and you feel like you're on top of the world and everything is suddenly perfect.

The gazebo lights turn on just as your kiss ends and you realize that your fairytale ending (or whatever the hell this is that you two are doing) has been in front of you all along.

"Hi." His voice is just barely above a whisper and yet it's so loud. You bite your lip and smile at him and kiss him softly once more. Just to make sure that this is not a dream.

"Hi." He smiles back as you return the greeting and his grip tightens on your waist and you're thinking that you don't mind because that's the least of your worries right now. He's yours and you're his and that's all that really matters right now in your world.

Your pager goes off and you see that your mother needs to see you now in front of the gazebo. You smile at him and take his hand as you round the corner and see her. She stares at you quizzically and you smile before the two of you run to each other and she tells you that Max proposed. You smile at her and hug her and congratulate her before gently prying yourself from her grasp and taking Tristin's hand again. She smiles knowingly but signals for you to continue.

And you introduce your mother to your new boyfriend Tristin DuGrey (you hold back the smile that comes to your face when he squeezes your hand at the mention of his name and the word boyfriend in the same sentence) and you then proceed to ask (nicely, of course) if you can go to PJ Harvey with him tonight.

He's wearing a regular blue jacket and jeans and his eyes are the perfect shade of blue and his car is the exact shade of red you'd envisioned it to be when he picks you up later that night. And after smiling innocently at him and taking the ticket from him and as he speeds off down the road you realize that everything feels right now.


End file.
